Latine Heritage Month is a month that celebrates Hispanic heritage in the United States, going from September 15 to October 15. The Office of Student Culture and Belonging hosted the Cultura Carnival at Stevens on September 17 to celebrate Latine culture. Some events that they had set up were bracelet-making, games, bag-decorating, and more. They also had a lot of traditional Latine foods such as empanadas, among many other dishes.
Stephanie Cueva, previous president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), and Sabrina Elgazzar, current Internal Vice President of SHPE, spoke on the Carnival and what it means to them in a brief interview. Cueva was last semester’s president of the Latinx council, and Elgazzar is the incoming president of the council, and they both contributed to the event with the Office of Student Culture and Belonging. Cueva also used to work in the Office of Student Culture and Belonging.
When asked about the event, Cueva and Elgazzar stated that it was planned by the Office of Student Culture and Belonging, as well as the different Latin organizations around campus, and that it was a chance to come together to celebrate Latine heritage and culture during the month. “We want to make sure we have a space where we all can come together and see each other and celebrate our heritage and our month – as well as who we are and what we do,” said Elgazzar. She continued on to describe the different activities that they had set up at the event for students to participate in. Cueva then added on by talking about the Latinx council, which consists of the Latin/Hispanic organizations on campus, and that this event was a way to showcase those different groups to students on campus.
Cueva explained that it “warms her heart” that people care about the community, and she feels like the work that she and her colleagues have done—trying to implement more Latine events—has paid off with the number of people at this event. Elgazzar also explained that the celebrations feel like home, and seeing people who have gone through the same, or similar, experiences and struggles is a good feeling, and for a first-generation Hispanic woman in STEM like herself, it feels good to be supported with events such as the Cultura Carnival. She explained that she enjoys giving back to the community in such ways, and seeing people she loves brings her joy. She also spoke on being mentored by Cueva, and how the process was a bit scary, but it was nevertheless exciting to see herself in a leadership position, with people looking to her for advice.
When asked about her favorite Latine food, Cueva mentioned pernil, which is a slow-roasted marinated pork leg or shoulder, and is Puerto Rico’s national dish. She also mentioned that she enjoys it with rice and beans. Elgazzar spoke about empanadas, specifically the ones her mom makes, and how they have a nostalgic feel of home. She also talked about how beef empanadas are a staple in her household, and how her mom adds olives to them.
If you want to support the Latine community, you can go to different events throughout the month and celebrate with them!
